A Slyterin's Point of View
by persian85033
Summary: How will Harry and Ron react when they see that Hermione is friendly with a Slytherin? Well, you’ll see, just read, and see what you think. Please remember to review.
1. Default Chapter

She was a very quiet girl. She lived with her parents and her brother, who would be starting Hogwarts the year after her. Sometimes they didn't get along, because he would become exasperated with her. Then again, almost everyone did. Even her parents. They seemed to have views parsecs away from hers. It was kind of odd, because everyone she knew would be just the opposite. Their parents were conservative, and they were liberal. Her case was the opposite. She was conservative, and her parents liberal. She believed strictly in keeping purebloods in charge. She hated Muggle-borns. Not that she had anything against Muggles themselves. Quite the contrary. She was fascinated by Muggles. She just didn't like the way they mixed with wizards, and so forth.

She had no friends. She spend her time reading and reading about different things. She liked to read about Muggle history, history of Magic, and anything she could get her hands on. She couldn't wait for Sept. 1, when she would finally be going to Hogwarts. She was looking forward to this. She wanted to go to Hogwarts. She also thought a lot about what House she would be in. She tried asking her brother which one would probably fit her most, and he always said he didn't know.

On Wednesday, they went to Diagon Alley to get her school things. She was looking forward to getting her own wand, so they went and got that first. She tried several wands, until, finally, Mr.Ollivander, the shopkeeper found the right match for her. Twelve inches, mahagony, with a unicorn hair. She was especially pleased with it, since she loved unicorns, and was glad that her wand contained a unicorn tail hair. Then, they bought her school uniforms. She was glad that she had to wear a uniform. That way, she wouldn't have to worry about what robes she wore, or how they looked, because everyone would be dressing the same way. Finally, they went to get the books. She loved the bookshop. Unfortunately, her parents didn't think gold spend on books was well-spend. So, she had to settle for buying only her schoolbooks, and not any of the other, better interesting books in the shop. She looked longingly over her shoulder.

While they had been buying the books, her brother and her father were at Quality Quidditch Supplies, arguing about their favorite teams.

"Hey, Dumbo."she said, when she saw her brother.

"Hey."he answered.

"Mom and I have got all my school stuff. You wouldn't believe some of the books I saw there."

"Really?"

He looked quite uninterested.

"So…what House do you really think I'll be in? Come on, be honest, I'd like to know what you think."

"Maybe in Ravenclaw."

"Do you really think I'm smart, Stupid?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Well, I hope so. But they must think I'm awfully stupid. I'm probably not up to Ravenclaw standards."

"You're too hard on yourself."

"I'm not hard on myself, I'm just realistic."

"Well, what House do you think you'll be in?"

"Maybe…Slytherin. I know I can't go to Hufflepuff, because Mom and Dad always say I'm lazy."

"What about Gryffindor?"

"I'm not brave."

"Well, I think you are sort of a Slytherin."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yeah, why not."

"Well, let's hope the next few days go by quickly. I want to get to Hogwarts. I hope I don't get lost, or anything."

She spend the next days going over her schoolbooks, and packing, to have everything ready for the first of September. When the day finally came, she got up early, and was anxious to get to the station. She put Sissy, Tza Tza, Ali, and Pietro, her cats in their carriers, and Hariff in his cage. She found an empty compartment and sat by herself to wait until the train got to Hogwarts, reading one of the books she had brought with her.

Sometime later, someone came into her compartment, and told her that Harry Potter was on the train. She couldn't believe it! Harry Potter! She had read quite a bit about him, and always wanted to meet him, but she wasn't sure if she should go and find him. He was probably surrounded by people, and she wouldn't have a chance to talk to him, and if she did, she would probably just make a fool of herself. So she stayed in her compartment. A girl came in with a boy looking for a toad, and the witch with the food cart. Aside from that, the journey went smoothly.

When they arrived, she heard someone say, "Firs' years this way, firs' years this way", and she followed the sound of the voice.

She saw that the one who was calling to them was a man who was twice the size of a normal man. She couldn't believe it. She felt a surge of envy. She always wanted to be very tall herself, though perhaps not as tall as this man. He took them to a lake, where they found several boats, and told them that should only be four to a boat.

She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the castle. She smiled to herself. I'm really, really going to like it here, she thought to herself, or at least I hope I will, she added. When they got inside, a teacher met them, and led them to another room, and told them about their Houses. Then the teacher left. As she waited with the other first years, a bunch of ghosts glided in. Several people gasped and some screamed. She, however, felt very sorry for them. It must be terrible, she though, having to live all over again, life is bad enough, living it only once, but twice, I prefer death, she thought.

Then, they were led into the Great Hall. It was a gigantic room, and the roof looked like the sky outside. There were four long tables, and a fifth, that from the looks of it, was the staff table. The teacher placed an old hat on a stool, and it sang a song, then she called the first years to come forward one by one, to try the hat on.

She quietly waited her turn. Then, "Dominguez,Layla"

She eagerly walked up, trying to make it seem casual, and put the hat on her head. She heard its voice whispering in her ears.

"Yes, yes, I see,"it kept on saying.

What do you see? What do you see?she asked desperately, wondering if the hat could tell what she was thinking.

"Very ambitious, very farsighted."it said. "Believes rigidly in following rules. Well, then, SLYTHERIN."said the hat.


	2. Chapter 2

She sighed, and walked to the Slytherin table. There, she looked at the people at the other tables. She felt very envious of the ones sitting at the Ravenclaw table, however, she knew that she didn't stand a chance against them, though. She would never be smart enough to be in Ravenclaw. She knew it. However, she felt very happy to have been chosen for Slytherin, and she watched the rest of the Sorting.

Then, the food appeared out of nowhere on the table. She felt very pleased that now she could eat as much as she liked, without her mother there, to tell her to watch her weight or anything. Her mother was just obsessed with that, after all, she wasn't overweight, or anything. It was just her mother's paranoia. There was just about everything on the table, and even though, the food tasted good, she would miss her mother's cooking. Her mother usually did the cooking, even though they had a house-elf. After dinner, the prefects led them down into the dungeons, to their common room.

"Okay,"said one of them. "The password is spiky serpent."

She giggled to herself. Well, since when were serpents spiky? Besides, it was easy to remember, since both of the words started with the same letter. A stone door opened, and they walked into a long, narrow room, with a fire on the other end. She walked towards the girls' dormitories, and saw that all her things were already there waiting for her. Including her cats.

"Well, I think I'm going to like it here."she told them. "The only thing I don't like, is having to share a dormitory. But at least I get my own bed. And I guess it's a little lucky I got to be in Slytherin, you know. That way, I get to wear my silver rings and earrings. Silver is a Slytherin color, after all, you know. The only bad thing is that the other one isn't lilac, but green. Well, we'll see. I'm looking forward to lessons tomorrow. Hopefully they won't be too hard."

And she lay down to sleep.

The next morning, she got her schedule, and Harriff arrived with a letter from her brothers, one of which was currently visiting Grandma, for a few months, but just got back, asking how she liked Hogwarts. She wrote back saying that she might just like it here, considering the fact that the castle was so big, and gigantic, and she the food was great, and she could eat as much as she pleased. She went off to her first lessons as soon as she finished her breakfast.

The first lesson was Transfiguration. The teacher who taught it, Professor McGonagall, told them that she would not allow anyone to mess around in her class. Hmm, thought Layla, at least that way, we won't have disruptions in class. Unfortunately, all the class consisted of taking complicated notes, and trying to turn a match into a needle. This way, I probably will never run out of needles, will I?she thought. I'll never have to bug Mom to buy me more, when one breaks, or something.

The classes she was really looking forward to were Potions and Herbology. Potions was taught by Professor Snape, who was Head of Slytherin House. The Slytherins had Potions with the Gryffindors, and even though she didn't understand why most of the Slytherins hated the Gryffindors, she tried her best to pretend that she did, too, though she thought Professor Snape was a bit unfair, in calling Harry Potter a celebrity in such a tone, and at the rest of the class for laughing when he didn't know an answer. Well, I'll bet they don't know it, either, she thought, but didn't dare say it out loud, in case she might get detention, or points deducted. The only one who seemed to know it was a girl with bushy brown hair, and large front teeth, as she was trying to get the Professor's attention, and had her hand in the air.

This class was much more fun than Transfiguration, since they were set to making a potion to cure boils. Layla had always wanted to learn to cook and bake, and she liked to work with her hands. She just didn't learn, because she had been too ashamed to tell her mother, and she didn't want to end up being a house-wife, either. Suddenly, there was a loud hiss, and she felt something funny as if her shoes were melting. As soon as she realized that someone's potion had spilled onto the floor, and it was burning holes in her shoes, she jumped onto the desk, and looked around, to see who had been the one to spill their potion. A round faced boy, had melted his cauldron, and now the potion in it was spilling all over the floor.

"Idiot boy."said Professor Snape, as he made the potion disappear.

Oh, dear, thought Layla, shaking her head, and I though I was bad. The boy was now covered in boils, and the one he had been working with, was given the task of taking him to the hospital. The hospital wing, though Layla, feeling suddenly sick. She hoped, maybe beyond hope that she would not have to go there, during her stay at Hogwart. She climbed off her desk, and began to clean up, as it was almost time to go.

Back in the common room, she chose a place in a corner, close to the fireplace, and started working on her Transfiguration homework. She could hear a boy with a pale, pointed face, and white-blond hair, whom she could remember vaguely as Draco Malfoy, talking to two other boys, who in her opinion, looked like gorillas. She thought she had always had a gift when it came to eavesdropping, after all, she could hear what her mother said, when she was locked in her room, and her mother, somewhere in the dining room. Her mother would never suspect that, though. It was odd, however, that sometimes she had to ask people to repeat things when they were talking to her, because she had a hard time understanding them.

"And did you see? How he was lying there covered in boils? I always knew that Gryffindors are losers. After all, those Weasleys are there, aren't they?"

Layla could not stand it anymore, she had to say something. She loved to apart from eavesdrop, she liked to gossip. An unfortunate habit, of course, but sometimes, she couldn't resist the urge.

"The Gryffindors aren't losers, and they aren't stupid. That girl with the bushy hair, she was brilliant. I might consider talking to her. She's so smart."

"That Granger Mudblood?"asked Malfoy.

Layla dropped her quill, and looked up, surprised.

"A Mudblood?"she asked.

Malfoy's lip curled.

"A Mudblood."he confirmed.

"Oh!"she exclaimed, with a look of disgust on her face. "A Mudblood."

"Don't tell me you associate with Mudbloods."

"Of course not."she answered with a look of disgust on her face.

She turned away from Malfoy, and returned to her homework, but she couldn't concentrate. She knew that they allowed Muggle-borns at Hogwarts, and well, to be honest, you couldn't tell them apart just by looking at them. She felt slightly ashamed of herself. A girl of no wizard family, had known most of the information in the class, while she, perhaps knew no more than the other Muggle-borns. She sighed, picked up her things, and went to bed.

"Yuck."she said to herself.

A few days later, she saw on the notice board, that they would be learning to fly. Fly! She loved to fly. She didn't play Quidditch, though, because she knew that she wouldn't be good at it. But still, she loved to fly, she especially would like to fly on a flying carpet. Just like Aladdin and Jasmine. She didn't want anyone here to know, though, that she liked Muggle entertainments, but well, you had to admit that Muggles were somewhat better than wizards on that. As a matter of fact, she thought, that Granger girl, might be a good person, so she has no wizard blood, so, she might know a lot about Walt Disney, and she's smart, she could probably teach me some good study habits.

She walked down to the where there were twenty broomsticks. From the look of them, they were not very good ones. She stood next to one, beside the Granger girl, and said "Up." Her broomstick shot straight into the air, into her hand. The Granger girl's didn't.

"You say it like you mean it."she told her. "You know, with, like, no fear. You know."

Suddenly, the same boy, who had melted his cauldron in Potions, was now shooting twenty feet into the air.

"Come back, boy!"yelled Madam Hooch.

Then, he landed with a loud thump, on the ground. Madam Hooch, told them to stay still, while she took him to the hospital wing. This might be her chance. Layla cleared her throat.

"Um, that boy, he's in your House, isn't he?"she asked the Granger girl.

"Yes. His name is Neville Longbottom."

"He, um, was the one who melted his cauldron in Potions, the other day. Wasn't he?"

"That was Seamus's cauldron, but yes, he melted him, yes."

"Um, your parents are Muggles, aren't they? Someone told me last night, in the common room. Him, you see, right there, his name is Malfoy, I think."

She nodded towards him, then looked at the Granger girl, and back, only to see, with a shock, that Malfoy had mounted up on his broom, and was soaring up. She wanted to stop him, if he got caught, Slytherin would lose points, and she wanted to win the House Cup. The Granger girl, however, walked towards the Potter boy, and tried to talk him out of going after Malfoy. She did not manage to convince him, though.

Everyone watched from the ground, and Layla was surprised to see that the Potter boy caught the little object Malfoy threw, and landed back on the ground. However, then, she heard Professor McGonagall's voice. She didn't know whether to be glad that she was angry at Potter, and hadn't noticed Malfoy, and Slytherin would not use any points, or angry that this had been so unfair. Well, I guess the latter, she told herself. She was upset, though, that Malfoy had interrupted her conversation with the Granger girl. After the lesson, they headed back toward the common room, Malfoy delighted that Potter was going to be expelled.

"Why do you hate him so much?"she asked. "You know, you're just jealous, and maybe even sour that he's better than you in lessons, you know. And if he is expelled, I will personally tell McGonagall what happened, even if that costs Slytherin points, because what you did wasn't right."

She walked towards the same corner she had occupied the other day, angry at Malfoy for interrupting her when she was trying to talk to the Granger girl, more than anything.

"Idiot."she said. "I could've talked to her more. Stupidass."she said, using one of her brother's favorite words. Well, I'll have other chances, we always have Potions with the Gryffindors, anyway, and she usually doesn't have anyone else to talk. I hope I can sit next to her.


	3. Chapter 3

Luckily, for Layla, time almost never seemed to go slowly, except when she wanted something to happen. So she was desperate for Potions class the next week. Her other favorite class was Astronomy. She waited for Potions. Finally, she was down on her way to Snape's dungeon. She tried to make sure that she was one of the last people there.

Fortunately, the Granger girl didn't seem to have anyone who liked to sit next to her. Layla was familiar with this, since no one liked to sit next to her, either, she was usually left to herself.

"Hello."she said.

"Oh, hello."she answered.

"I was hoping Professor McGonagall didn't punish the Potter boy, you know. He didn't do anything wrong. I heard he was sent a broomstick. Malfoy was furious yesterday evening. It was actually kind of funny, very pathetic."

"Well, they seem to think that it was an award for breaking the rules."she said, shaking her head.

"Oh."said Layla, not knowing what to say next. "Well,…"

Professor Snape walked in, and they had to stop talking. Today, it seemed that they would be working on a simple Babbling Beverage.

"Do you know a lot about Potion making?"Layla asked the Granger girl.

"I've done quite a bit of reading about it."

"It's my favorite class. I've always wanted to learn to cook. I've never said anything to anyone, about it, you know. I also like Astronomy. Do you have a favorite class. Is it true that you're Muggle-born. I'm a pureblood., but I've read some things by Muggle authors, you know. I mostly like science fiction. I think that's what Muggles call it. Especially when it has to do with different worlds, that's probably why I like Astronomy. A particular favorite of mine, is the Isis Trilogy, by Monica Hughes. Have you ever read that. I've got the books with me. And have you ever watched Aladdin. That's also one of my favorite videos. Oh, I'm sorry, it's just that I don't speak to people too often,"she said suddenly, "I'm just, well, I'm sorry for bombarding you like this."she apologized.

"Oh, that's quite all right. Now I'll just try to remember everything, and answer it. Let's see. I like all my classes, actually. They're all fun, and yes, I'm Muggle-born. No one in my family is magic. And as for the science fiction and Aladdin, I don't really watch many Disney movies, and no, I don't read many fiction books."

"Oh. Well, these I'm talking about, they are great. You should really read them. The Isis books. I love them. Perhaps I could let you borrow them. I'm pretty sure you'll like them. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"No. I'm an only child."

"I have two brothers, they'll be coming here next year, both of them. They're twins, and they spend so much of their time torturing my cats. My poor Sissy, especially. Their names are Manuel and Macario. I hope they are in my House. What do you think about Hogwarts, by the way."

"I think it is a great place. I've read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

"I've read parts of that book, too. Isn't it neat, about the enchanted sky in the Great Hall?"

"Yes."

Before Layla knew it, it was already time to start packing.

"My, my, why is that my favorite classes are always the ones that end so quickly? And then the boring ones are the ones that go on forever? I do hope that I'll see you outside of class. Not after class, or anything like that, of course, since we are in different Houses, but maybe between, or in the Great Hall."

"Of course."

"Your name is Hermione, right? I'm sorry, but, it's just that I'm terrible at names. My name is Layla, that means 'night' in Arabic. I read a lot about the Arabs. Well, about different cultures, really. Someday, I hope to travel around the whole world."

"Yes, my name is Hermione, and I also hope that we'll speak to each other more. It was nice."

Just after leaving class, Malfoy, and a girl named Pansy Parkinson, and their gangs stopped Layla.

"I didn't know you liked Mudbloods, Dominguez."

"Why?"asked Layla. She didn't want to talk to Malfoy, and she though, perhaps the best way to get rid of him was by asking what her brothers called why questions. That had always worked on them.

"Because you're an embarrassment to all of us, if you do."

"Why?"Layla just kept walking.

Since she was a fast walker, she was soon out of Malfoy's way. But in the common room that evening, they made hell for her.

"I'll tell on all of you."she told them. "I don't see how whom I talk to could possibly affect all of you."

"Because you have to proper wizarding pride."

"So? I was only asking her a few questions. Besides, she's really smart. You're probably jealous, that you can't get the grades she does."

Malfoy went pink.

"That doesn't change the fact that she's a Mudblood! How could you have ended up in Slytherin! You belong with that Gryffindor scum! With that Mudblood!"

"Well, that's not up to you to decide, is it? That was up to the Sorting Hat, and it said I belong in Slytherin. I'd like to see you kick me out."

She walked back to her dormitory.

"Oh well, we'll see who gets the last laugh, won't we, Tzacita?"she told Tza Tza.

Tza Tza meowed, and went up to Layla's lap. Layla spend the rest of the evening in her dormitory. She didn't care what Malfoy had said about her. She was still proud to be in Slytherin.

"Yes, they'll all be sorry, one of these days. When I'm through with school, and they're nobodies, while I, while me, I'll study a career, and you know, I'll go live in Yucatan, or maybe Veracruz, where I will own a big, big ranch, or hacienda, and they, ha, at the rate they're going, will probably be on the streets, begging!"she told to herself, and lay down, with an expression of longing that she always wore, when she thought about the plans she had for herself, and she was determined to see them fulfilled, no matter what the cost.

Despite everything Malfoy said, Layla didn't care, and went on talking to Hermione, in between classes, and whenever she met her in the library. As they both spend a great deal of time in the library, that wasn't hard, and Layla did lend Hermione her books. In the library, they discussed books they had read, books they liked, and information and things they learned when they read.

"Most of these, you see, are from my grandparents. Or well, otherwise, I just get them with my own pocket money, you know. My parents don't like to buy books for me. Especially my mother thinks that gold spend on books is anything but gold well spend. She doesn't like me reading so much."

"But why?"Hermione looked shocked.

Layla shrugged.

"That's just what she thinks. I'll never understand why. Do your parents buy books for you? For your birthdays? Namedays? Christmas? All I ever get on those days is usually robes, or things for my hair, or jewelry. Well, I like the jewelry. You should see how much I have at my house. I like silver, mostly."

"Yes, my parents will give me books as gifts."

"Lucky you. What do you like to read about? I read about almost anything, but my favorite subjects are history, any history, science fiction, science, and animals, especially things like biology, and different cultures. Those are my 'Muggle' subjects. I also like to read about different jinxes. I'm so glad I came here. I can't wait to try them out myself, and things like how they were discovered."

"I like to read about everything, too."

"Did you go to a Muggle school before you came here?"

"Yes."

"What are they like? Did you have a lot of friends."

"Well, I guess that they are more or less like here, except that you learn things like math, and stuff, instead of magic. And no, most of the people there were just goof offs, like here, I guess you could say. So no, I didn't have many friends."

"I've never had many friends, either. For the same reason. They are all just goof offs, but I've always liked to think I've got a future, and they don't. Ha. Well, it's time for class, I should think. I guess I'll see you at the Halloween Feast."

"Yes. Bye."

"Bye."

However, when Layla looked towards the Gryffindor table, she couldn't find Hermione. Odd, she thought. Perhaps she went back to the library? I'll see, maybe after the Feast. She sat down, at the nearest empty seat, that was furthest from everyone else, and as she was always one of the first people there, this wasn't hard. About halfway through the Feast, Professor Quirrell, came in saying there was a troll in the dungeons. She tried to remain calm, as she followed the prefects back to the common room.

Nothing's going to happen, she thought. Nothing's going to happen. Fortunately, nothing did. She finished the Feast, in her corner, and then went to sleep. The next morning, she heard that Hermione had gone looking for the troll, and was saved by the Potter boy and another boy.

"Oh, dear, I don't think I would've done it!"Layla exclaimed. "That was really, really brave of you, you know. And those boys."

"Yes."said Hermione, quietly.


	4. Chapter 4

Layla noticed that Harry and Ron started hanging out with Hermione now, and she started helping them with their homework. She didn't know what to think about this, since now it was harder to speak to Hermione, since she sat with them in class. She was always afraid to meet new people. With Hermione, she made an exception and her curiosity got the better of her. She was afraid with Harry and Ron, especially since Harry Potter was famous. She had never spoken to anyone famous before. After Potions, she walked up to them.

"Hello."she said.

"Oh, hello."said Hermione.

"These would be the two boys who saved you from the troll, wouldn't they?"she asked.

"Yes. This is Harry, and this is Ron."

"Hello, I'm Layla, Layla Dominguez."

"You're in Slytherin, aren't you?"asked Ron

"Why, yes. I am."she answered him.

"And you know Hermione?"he asked.

"Yes."

"We usually exchange information about the books we read. By the way, you know those books by Monica Hughes, you were right. They are great. They might be fiction, but they're very well written."she turned to Harry and Ron. "Layla lend me those books, and really they're fascinating."

"Yes. I love to read. I read about just about everything. I love science fiction books by Muggle authors. They have a lot of imagination. Well, some of them. Issac Assimov is also great. And Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. That's quite a tragedy. Are you interested in extrateresstials, by the way? My brothers' worst fear is that he will one day be abducted by aliens."

When they got to the Great Hall, they had to separate, and Layla sat down at the Slytherin table.

"Well, I guess I'll be seeing you some other time. I might consider going to the Quidditch match, you know. I didn't really want to go, but as Harry's playing, I might go and watch, for a while anyway."she said.

"You weren't going?"asked Ron.

Layla sighed.

"No, what for? I thought perhaps I could go to the library, or stay in the common room and knit, or something. But I think I'll go."

At the Gryffindor table, Ron was furious with Hermione.

"You never said that you got along with Slytherins, Hermione!"

"Well, you never asked, did you?"

"I thought she was all right. She didn't seem like a Slytherin."said Harry, looking over at the Slythein table.

"Maybe she's a spy."Ron said.

"That's ridiculous."Hermione told him. "How could she be a spy?"

"Easy, she could be reporting back to Malfoy."

"No. She doesn't like Malfoy. She's told me so."

"And how do you know, they don't get along in the common room."

Hermione looked at him, furiously.

"Listen, Ron, I think you are exaggerating. Layla is not a spy, she's very nice if you give her the chance. Besides, I don't think you have any right to tell me whom I can talk to or not."

Hermione got up and left the Great Hall.

At the Quidditch match on Saturday, Layla put on her scarf, and walked toward the stadium, to see if she could find Hermione, so she wouldn't have to sit by herself.

"Well, I don't know whether I'll stay the whole match, you know. I'm not really into sports. My brothers and my father, however, they love them. The only sport I like is swimming. I love to get wet."

"That's a good sport."said Hermione.

"Quidditch is better, since we're going to win."said Ron.

Layla smiled and nodded.

"Yes, well, you do have a great seeker, or so I've heard. I've never seen him play, so let's see how he does."

"Well, you're wearing the wrong colors."Ron said.

Hermione scowled at him. Layla looked down at her scarf, and remembered that she had indeed knitted it with green and silver bows.

"Oh, well, you know, I knitted it at the beginning of the term, and well, those were the colors that came to mind. I love silver, and as well, the House color is also green, I used that as another color. I would have liked lilac instead, but well, I just, well, thought it would be nice."

Also, her earrings were silver.

"The match is starting."Hermione said.

Layla thought that perhaps she did look odd, wearing green and silver, and cheering the other team, instead of the Slytherins, who were wearing the same color as her. She did her best to forget it.

"That was quite a good score."she said, clapping along with Ron and Hermione, as one of the Gryffindor chasers scored against the Slytherin Keeper. "But really, they shouldn't let them use those tactics."she commented about the Slytherins. "They really aren't right."

"Well, they're your team."Ron told her.

"That doesn't mean what they're doing is right."

"Perhaps we should concentrate on the match. Look, I think Harry's seen the snitch!"said Hermione.

Suddenly, the match seemed to be suspended, as everyone watched the Seekers dive down to catch the tiny golden ball. When they saw that Harry had been the one who caught it, in his mouth, it seemed, they cheered loudly. Layla went down with Ron and Hermione to congratulate him. The rest of the team all looked at her suspiciously.

"That was a great match. I don't think even my brothers or my father know anyone whose caught the snitch like that."she told Harry. "Well, I guess I better get back to the common room. Congratulations, you were great."

"Thanks."said Harry.

She turned around and walked towards the castle. When she was gone, Wood asked Harry questions, as to why a Slytherin had come to congratulate him.

"She's my friend, Hermione's friend."Harry told him.

"Then maybe you should talk to your friend about her friends, or you should just forget about being friends with her."

"She's all right, I think."

"What if she's a spy?"

"I don't think she is. She doesn't seem like the type. She's friends with Hermione because they read a lot, but outside the fact that she's in the same House as the Slytherins, she doesn't have anything in common with them."

"Isn't the fact that she's in Slytherin enough? Did you notice the colors on her scarf?"

"Well, she seemed like she was honestly glad we won."

"Those Slytherins are great actors, Potter. You see how some of them convince the teachers."

"Well, I'll see."

Malfoy and his gang had seen Layla walking towards the Gryffindor team after the match.

"What were you doing with those losers, Dominguez."

"I think they won, Malfoy."she said, putting a bookmarker in the book she had been reading.

"Only by luck."

"Well, then they have very good luck. Either way, I think won fair and square."

Malfoy's eyes flashed.

"I don't see why you're so angry. It's only a game. So, they won, and we lost, so? Who cares? What difference does it make?"

"It makes a lot of difference. Gryffindors are nothing more than losers."

Layla knew that Malfoy wasn't going to leave her alone, so she got her book, and went to her dormitory, where he couldn't bother her. However, then Pansy Parkinson went in to bother her. But she got tired through Layla's why questions.


	5. Chapter 5

Christmas was approaching. Hermione's friend, Ron, had thought that Layla had had something to do with the fact that Harry's broom had wanted to throw him off. Hermione had told him that was ridiculous, since Layla was only a first year. Layla thought about staying for Christmas, and going home. She asked Hermione if she was staying, or going home. Hermione said that she was going home for Christmas. Layla thought about it, and decided to go home for the holidays. She did miss her parents and brothers, and as Hermione wasn't staying, there would be nothing to do.

During their last Potions class, Malfoy kept making sniding remarks about Harry not having any proper family. Layla decided to ignore him. She had hoped vainly that Professor Snape would ask Malfoy to shut up. She thought of saying that he disturbed her concentration, and she needed it to do her best on her final day.

The next day, she rode in the same compartment as Hermione on the Hogwarts Express.

"Well, at least it's comfortable, you know, I really don't like traveling much. I like going places, but not what you have to do to get there. Well, maybe Apparating, but you know I'm not old enough."

"I don't mind that much, then again, I've never traveled much."Hermione told her.

When the food cart came by, Layla bought almost all the Chocolate Frogs.

"It really isn't good to eat so many Chocolate Frogs, you know."

"Oh, I'm a chocoholic. It's something that drives my mother mad. She hates chocolate. I'll never understand why."

"You probably taught her to hate it. She had to spend so much money on it."

"Actually, you know, she's always hated it. What are you going to do over the holidays? Are you going anywhere?"

"No, I don't think so."

"I'm not, either. Last year, we went to Morelia, with my grandparents, and saw the Posadas. That was very nice. We even gave one, you know. We're not going this year. It's already kind of late, they start around the sixteenth of December. I love the champurrado and buñuelos."

"What's a Posada. I don't think I've ever heard of that."

"It's kind of like a party, I guess. A Christmas party. We hit a piñata, that is, the children do, and we get candy. It's kind of fun."

"I've read about those. I've never been able to hit one, though. They're not popular here in Britain."

"No, you have to go to Mexico to buy one. Here, they don't sell them."

"And what is that that you drink."

"It's, well, I'm not sure how to explain it. It's kind of like porridge, I guess in a way, only much, much better, and the buñuelos are so sweet."

"I'd like to try that sometime."

"Well, if sometime we can get out of school a little earlier, and we can go to Mexico, why not. If your parents give you permission."

Hermione told her if she knew anything about someone named Nicholas Flamel.

Layla said that she didn't, but she promised to ask her parents.

She introduced her Hermione to her parents and her parents. Hermione also introduced Layla to her parents. The holidays past with nothing in particular. Layla got a lot of jewelry for Christmas, which was what she mostly got, but was disappointed that none of the books she would have liked were among the gifts. She told her brothers about Hogwarts, and that she was looking forward to going back.

When she got back, and there was another Quidditch match, she was surprised when she found out that Professor Snape was refereeing.

"But isn't Madam Hooch supposed to do that?"she asked.

"Yes, but it turns out that Snape wants to favor Hufflepuff."Ron told her darkly.

"Why would Professor Snape want to favor Hufflepuff?"

"I don't think he favors Hufflepuff, I just think he doesn't favor Gryffindor, or Harry."

The match, however, ended in five minutes. A few days after that, Hermione told her that they had found out about Nicholas Flamel, and the Sorcerer's Stone.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't want to live forever."Layla said, after Hermione told her what it could do. "I'm already sick of my life and I'm only eleven, living to be six hundred! I wouldn't be able to do it."

As the Easter holidays approached, Layla started studying for her exams, and the rest of the term went by pretty quickly, but then, for her, time always went by quickly. As she spend most of her time in the library, she didn't have to endure Malfoy in the common room. Hermione gave her a study schedule, but Layla didn't use it. She never did things like studying on schedule. She usually just did it before bed.

"Well, it's almost the end of the first year here."she told her cats. "It's gone by quickly, hasn't it?"

However, the end of the term didn't go by without incidents. She heard that Hermione and her friends had gotten past the three headed dog, and saved the Stone. Harry Potter was unconscious in the hospital wing. She send him many Chocolate Frogs, as that would have been the gift she would have appreciated the most. Malfoy was delighted that Gryffindor lost at the end of the Quidditch season.

Layla said good-bye to Hermione, promised to write to her, and went to say hello to her brothers and her parents.


	6. Chapter 6

The summer holidays were over, and Layla was looking forward to going back to Hogwarts again. This time, her brothers would go with her, and she was glad. She hoped that they would be in the same House. Manuel said he doubted it, though. When they were on the Hogwarts Express, she looked for Hermione. She wanted Hermione to meet her brothers.

"This is Hermione."she told them. "Hermione, these are my brothers, Manuel and Macario."

"Hello."said Hermione. "You're starting this year, are you?"

"Yes."said Manuel.

"That's good. I'm sure you'll like it at Hogwarts. There's a very big library there."

"They don't read that much. They don't read, period. I'll never understand why. I love to read. I always try to get them to read, by showing them interesting books. Like the Isis ones, since they love aliens, and space, and things like that, but no. That didn't work, either."

"That's quite a pitty. You do miss out on a lot. You'll have to read quite a bit at Hogwart, though, if you want to do well in all your classes."

"I know Manuel will do well. He's very smart."

"Have you seen Harry and Ron, by the way?"asked Hermione.

"No, I haven't. I thought they would have been with you."

"I haven't seen them anywhere on the train. I've been looking everywhere for them."

When they got to Hogwarts, and Hagrid called the first years, Manuel and Macario went towards him, and Layla and Hermione got into a carriage that took them to the castle. When they got to the Great Hall, Layla sat down at the Slytherin table, and Hermione went towards the Gryffindor table.

Layla watched the first years being sorted, and Manuel went to Ravenclaw, and Macario to Gryffindor. She was disappointed that neither had gone to Slytherin, but she clapped for them, even though they had not gone to Slytherin like her.

The next morning, she heard that Ron and Harry had arrived in a flying car and that they had crashed into the Whomping Willow. Malfoy was furious that they had not gotten expelled. Suddenly, there was a loud noise, and a woman's voice was shouting at Ron.

It's a Howler she thought. She tried to ignore it, but it was too loud. Finally, it stopped. Good, she thought. People began to talk again, as if nothing had happened. They had a new teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart. Layla had not really read his books, but since he was a celebrity, she thought it would be exciting. They had their first lesson with him on Thursday, and he started with a quiz. The quiz turned out to be on himself.

Shouldn't it be maybe on the plot of the books, or something, she thought. How are we supposed to know? We don't know him. She passed her up, sighing, sure that she had failed her first quiz with Professor Lockhart.

Lockhart was not very pleased with the way the quiz had gone, but he dismissed them, anyway, asking them to read his books more carefully. Layla met Hermione in the corridor.

"Did he give a quiz, too?"she asked.

"Yes."

"I failed it, I'm sure."

"Why? It was actually quite simple."

"It was all about himself! It's not like we're friends, or anything. I hope that was just the first class. I hope not all his classes are like that."

"It was a good class."Hermione said.

"I guess so, for the first class. Did you hear? That Draco Malfoy was accepted on the Quidditch team, and his father bought all new Nimbus 2001s for the Slytherin Quidditch team? They were going on about it all last night in the common room. That they'll beat the Gryffindors and all that. Those brooms are supposed to be really good."

"I haven't heard."Hermione said.

"Well, they did. Maybe they're convinced that they don't even have to practice, because I haven't been able to hear when their first practice session is going to be, or anything. But I thought everyone knew by now, you know. They probably want everyone to know."

"So Malfoy bought his way into the team?"

"I guess so. I've never seen him playing, so I don't know if he's even any good. I already told Manuel and Macario."

"Hmm."

Lockhart's classes didn't turn any better. He just read from his books to them, which Layla found extremely annoying, since she hated to listen to people reading out loud. She couldn't understand very well. She liked to read silently on her own, instead. Sometimes he reenacted some parts, but she didn't pay much attention to those, either.

Soon, Halloween was there. She looked forward to the feast. She liked the feasts. She went down to the Great Hall, and regretted that Hermione and Manuel were at the Gryffindor table, and Macario at the Ravenclaw table. Here, she didn't really enjoy talking to anyone. When the feast was over, they got up and headed back towards the common room. Suddenly everyone stopped, and she craned her head to see what was happening.

"You'll be next, Mudbloods."said Draco Malfoy from somewhere in front.

What, she thought, confused.


	7. Chapter 7

Professor Dumbledore took Harry, Ron, and Hermione away. Layla went back to the common room as quickly as she could, though nobody noticed, because she was always the first to go to the common room. Today, however, everyone went there right after the feast. Malfoy and almost everyone appeared to be overjoyed at what had happened to the caretaker, Mr.Filch's cat.

Layla did not really like Mr.Filch, however, as she was such a cat lover, she felt very sorry for him. She knew that she would feel very upset if something like that ever happened to one of her cats. She probably would not even go out of her dormitory for maybe days. She hated the way that Malfoy gloated about what was written on the wall.

"How could you?"she asked. "How could you be so heartless, Draco? What has Mrs.Norris ever done to you? She's only an innocent kitty!"

"I don't care about that stupid cat. However, pretty soon there won't be any Mudbloods around the school. Only decent wizards."

"The sign said 'enemies of the heir', what if the heir is Muggle-born? Then you will be one of the first ones to go, Malfoy."

"Right. A Mudblood? Be the Heir of Slytherin?"

"It's a possibility. It could be just about anybody. It could be a Squib for all we know, or maybe even a Muggle. Salazar Slytherin did not like Muggle-borns, but who knows maybe his daughter, son, granddaughter, grandson, so forth."

"I don't' know how the stupid Sorting Hat chose you to be in Slytherin. You are not a proper Slytherin. You're nothing more than a Muggle-lover, like those stupid Weasleys."

"I am a Slytherin. The hat said I was. I'll show you one day, Draco Malfoy, one day, oh, one day I will show you, if it's the last thing I ever do! We'll see who gets the last laugh! You will be begging me to forgive you! One of these days! One of these days!"she screamed at him and ran towards her dormitory.

She walked towards her bed, where all her cats were.

"They will be sorry. They're only a bunch of…well, who gets better grades? Me or them? Ha! It's me of course! I will be better than them, than all of them! And they'll be sorry they ever made fun of me. I am a true Slytherin, Sissita, Alito, Pietrito, Tzacita, I will do anything to show them. They're only angry that it wasn't them. Or maybe it was. I don't care, but if it is them, then I'll get them. It may be risky, but I'll do it. I want to see them in trouble. They will get in trouble! That's it!"

The next morning Layla asked Hermione what had happened with Professor Dumbledore.

"Well, luckily, we got off. Not that we did anything wrong, of course. You see, she's not dead. She's been Petrified."

"Petrified?"asked Layla looking confused.

"You know, turned to stone, all stiff."

"Oh, I see. Petrified. Petra is Latin for rock, or stone, or something. That's what Pietrito's name means. You know, Pietro, Petra, Pedro, Piotr, so forth. I see, I should have known."

Hermione looked at her.

"Well, etymology is also something I like to do a lot. Especially name etymology. I like to find out what people's names mean. It's kind of fun, you know, to know what your name means, and well, what other names. I love names. Once you start with etymology, you'll never look at words the same way again. And it sort of helps with different languages, sometimes. That's why I started it in the first place. I've always wanted to learn different languages. Unfortunately, I'm only bilingual. I've always wanted to learn more languages. Especially Slavic languages, like Polish, Russian, and all that. That' s a part of the world I've always wanted to see."

"Oh, well, I always knew you liked words. You do, after all, have such a large vocabulary."

"Yes, especially incantations, and all that. I guess you could say that's why I do so well in Charms."

"I think you do pretty well in all of your classes."

"No, I'm only average, that is if I'm average at all. I'm probably below average. My brother Manuel, though, is really smart."

"Why are you always so hard on yourself?"

"Oh, I'm not hard on myself. I'm just realistic. It's not good just to dream. The higher you soar, the more painful it is when you fall. I just want to have both of my feet planted firmly on the ground. That way, well, it won't hurt so much when I fall. So then what did Petrify Mrs.Norris?"

"Professor Dumbledore isn't sure."

"What were you doing there in the first place?"

Hermione hesitated. She knew she shouldn't tell anyone, but she decided she could trust Layla.

"Well, we were on our way back from the Deathday party."

"Deathday? Don't you mean birthday? And whose? I didn't know someone was celebrating their birthday on Halloween. No one said anything to me about it. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised."

"No, a Deathday. Nearly Headless Nick was celebrating his five hundredth Deathday. You know, the day he died."

"Oh, I see. We celebrate birthdays, the days we were born, because we're alive, the ghosts celebrate Deathdays, the days they died, because they're dead."

"Yes."

"Well, what was it like? I do wish I could have gone. I wish I could've been invited. But I suppose he didn't want a Slytherin spying on his party."

"Be grateful you weren't invited."Hermione told her. "It wasn't exactly fun."

"Why?"

"First of all, it was freezing cold, second the food, if you can call it food anymore, was rotten."

"Oh, but why were you in the upstairs corridor?"

"Well, we left the party early, because, well, we just couldn't take anymore. And on our way up, well, Harry heard a voice."

"A voice? What do you mean he heard a voice?"

"I mean precisely that. He heard a voice. He said it was between the walls, and then he said that it was going to kill someone, and we ran upstairs, and found the writing on the wall, and Mrs.Norris hanging on the torch. And then the feast was over, and everyone saw us."

"Oh. What did Dumbledore say?"

"We didn't say anything to him. You understand."

"Yes, but what explanation did you give him?"

"Just that we were tired and wanted to go to bed. Professor Snape didn't believe us, though."

"You should have said that the you thought the feast was over, or ending, or that you thought that there wouldn't be much left."

"That never occurred to us. We weren't exactly thinking."

"I see. I'm glad you're not in trouble, though."

"Me, too. But do you have any idea what that voice is?"

"No. It sounds pretty confusing."

"How has your Quidditch team been doing?"

"I don't know. I guess they've been training pretty hard. Harry has been, anyway, so I suppose the whole team has."

"Yes. I wonder why they would have wanted to attack Mrs.Norris, though. I guess I'll see you at the match."

"Yes."

Layla thought long and hard about the voice that Harry heard on his way to the Great Hall. She wondered whether he was hallucinating. She did not talk to her brothers about it, and did not mention anything in the common room. Everyone was celebrating. They were sure that they were going to beat Gryffindor at the match.

You'd've thought that they'd already won, she thought.

On Saturday, she sat with Ron and Hermione to watch the match. Everything seemed that Slytherin was winning, and Layla could not help but clap every time they scored a goal. It was, after all, her House, and she did want them to win, in a way. She was still a little upset about the Gryffindors having won the House last term, even though she had to admit that they had won fairly. She had been so happy, when she saw that Slytherin had won. About halfway into the match, she saw that one of the Bludger was chasing Harry.

"What is wrong with that Bludger?"she asked.

"It seems to want to murder Harry."

"The Bludger?"

Harry swirled around and around, the Bludger still chasing him, changing direction every time he did. Suddenly, when he stopped, the Bludger hit his right side.

"Oh!"said Layla.

That has got to hurt, she thought to herself. In the mud, she saw that he had caught the Snitch, and that Gryffindor had won.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, Hermione asked Layla if she knew whether Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin.

"Well, he does seem the type of person, doesn't he? I can't just go up and ask him, of course, but let's see…he hasn't said anything."

That evening she paid close attention to what Malfoy talked about to Crabbe and Goyle. It wasn't hard, considering he always talked in a lout voice for everyone to hear. The next morning, she went to tell Hermione what she had heard.

"Nothing. He hasn't said anything about being the Heir of Slytherin. However, he said that he would like to know who it is."

"Doesn't he know?"asked Ron.

"Not that I've heard. Then again, it's probably because the room is full of people, you know. I did hear him say that he's staying over the Christmas holidays."

"Malfoy is staying for the Christmas holidays?"

"Yes. That's what he said."

"Do you know why?"

"I don't have the slightest idea. He didn't say why."

"I think the Christmas holidays are perfect."said Hermione.

"For what?"

Hermione told her about the Polyjuice Potion.

"That does seem like a good way to get Malfoy."

"And you could show us where the Slytherin common room is."

"I don't know if that would be such a good idea. I don't generally walk to the common room with people. I just go by myself. I could probably tell you where it is. That way no one will be suspicious. Crabbe and Goyle don't like me, you know. No body really does."

"We'll tell you when everything is ready."

"Yes, and did you know about the Dueling Club?"

"Yes, we are definitely going. You never know when it could come in handy."

"I was thinking that, too. Maybe I'll go, if only for that reason. You never do know when it can come in handy."

"So then we'll see you in the Great Hall, then."

"Yes, see you in the Great Hall."

Almost the whole school was there for the first meeting of the Dueling Club. Gilderoy Lockhart walked up to the platform, and he and Snape made a demonstration that caused Lockhart to lose his wand. Then they broke off into pairs. Layla partnered with a girl named Susan Bones from Hufflepuff. A few minutes later, the Great Hall was in turmoil, and Lockhart called two volunteers, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy to perform a demonstration on how to block unfriendly spells. A giant serpent came out of Malfoy's wand, and was about to attack a Hufflepuff boy, but Harry spoke to it, and led it on. Layla stood speechless. She didn't know that Harry could speak Parseltongue. In the common room, everyone exclaimed that it wasn't just that the Heir of Slytherin should be a stupid Gryffindor, like Harry Potter.

"I didn't know you could speak Parseltongue, Harry. Last night, everyone was going on about how it was a Gryffindor who was the Heir of Slytherin."

"I am not the Heir of Slytherin."he said, and stalked off angrily.

"Oh, well, I was only curious, you know. It is kind of unusual that he's the one. The one who stopped You-Know-Who."

When Layla was in Charms, she heard Peeves screaming that there had been another attack. The whole class ran out of the classroom to find Potter and the Hufflepuff boy, whom he had tried to attack in the Dueling Club, and Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost.

Layla stayed during the Christmas holidays. When Hermione told her the Polyjuice Potion was ready, she gave them directions to the Slytherin common room and the password, saying that she would be there, when they came to interrogate Malfoy. As planned, Crabbe and Goyle, or rather Ron and Harry came into the common room, and sat close to the fire with Malfoy. Hermione said that she would be turning into Millicent Bullstrode, but she was no where to be seen. Layla listened closely while they were interrogating Malfoy, and even though she was not surprised, to hear that Malfoy didn't know whom the Heir was, she was surprised when she learned that the Malfoys had a secret chamber of their own under their drawing room. As soon as Malfoy said this, she got up, and went to her dormitory, wandering what would be the best way to alert the Ministry of the Malfoy's secret chamber.


	9. Chapter 9

Staying over Christmas A Slytherin's POV

She knew that they probably wouldn't believe her, but she had always wanted to do something worse doing, and getting the Malfoys would definitely help her stand out, not just here at Hogwarts, but even in the whole Wizarding world! She couldn't stay still, and ran to her dormitory.

"Well, we certainly heard something interesting tonight!"she told her cats. "You know, the problem is how are we going to get people to believe us!"

She ran out of the common room to find Hermione, Harry and Ron. She ran in, breathless.

"I never knew that the Malfoys would do something like that! Well, I wouldn't put it past them, but, oh well. We should report them, shouldn't we?"she exclaimed. "Where's Hermione?"

Hermione came out. Her face was covered in black hair, her eyes were yellow, and she had a tail.

"What happened to you! I always had the impression that Millicent was one of the ugliest people I've ever seen, but this is ridiculous! I mean, I don't mean its ugly, I love cats, but…well, the look isn't you, Hermione."said Layla.

"It was a cat hair. Millicent Bullstrode must have a cat."

"Yes, she does. It's a very beautiful cat, though. Maybe you should go the hospital wing, should you? I don't know what Madam Pomfrey will say."

"Why didn't you tell us she had a cat?"exclaimed Ron.

Layla shrugged.

"I didn't know it was important. After all, I've always been able to tell between cat hairs and human hairs, it's not hard, you know."

They took Hermione to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey didn't ask many questions, but Hermione insisted that the curtains around her bed be drawn so no one would see her with a hairy face. They also brought her her homework at the end of each day. Layla enjoyed this a lot, since it gave her an excuse to be out of the common room, and she always enjoyed nursing people or animals, especially when they were younger.

"Proffesor Lockhart asked when you would be out of the hospital wing almost five times!"she told Hermione, handing her her Potions homework.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Well, he's send me quite a few get well cards, too, you know."

"None of the other teachers have asked, though. Just him."

"I'm glad."

"I guess so. Why is he sending you cards, though?"

"Well, isn't it obvious! I am after all, in the hospital wing."

"I guess so."

The next few weeks passed without incident. There were no more attacks, so everyone was much more calm. On Valentine's Day, however, when Professor Lockhart decided to boost up the school's morale, Layla thought it was just a tragedy. Classes kept being interrupted, and all the teachers seemed to be in a bad mood. Layla couldn't exactly say she blamed them. Now that Hermione was out of the hospital wing, she showed Layla a book, which she said that Harry and Ron had found in the girls' bathroom.

"It's completely blank."she said. "I would have liked to read the diary, though. I've always wondered what life was like fifty years ago."

"Do you have any idea what it could be hiding?"

"No, I don't."

"Tom Riddle got an award for Services to the School."said Ron. "And he was a Head Boy."

"Wow! Now it's definitely a pity that there isn't anything in the diary. I would have liked to read it. I would do anything to get an award and be Head Girl. He sounds like an example to be followed. Very…idealistic."

Ron rolled his eyes.

"But what good is it if we can't find what's in it."

"I don't know. Maybe just keep it and fill it out yourself. Maybe…could you give it to me? I mean, I would love to have something that once belonged to a person like Tom Riddle! What happened to him? Is he working for the Ministry? I've never heard anyone who goes by that name."

"I don't know."

"No."said Harry. "I'm going to keep it."

Layla walked away, disappointed.

A few weeks later, Harry said that Hagrid was the Heir of Slytherin. That he had seen it in Riddle's diary. As soon as they told her this, Layla went straight to the Ravenclaw table to talk to her brother, Manuel.

"Did you hear?"she asked, sitting next to him.

"What?"

"Hagrid's the Heir of Slytherin."

Manuel looked at her.

"But don't tell anyone."

"Why do you think Hagrid's the Heir?"

Layla shrugged.

"He was arrested and the attacks stopped the last time the Chamber was opened."

"Then why is he gamekeeper today?"

Layla shrugged again.

"I don't know. I'm just telling you what I know."

She left the Ravenclaw table.

On the day of the Quidditch match, Layla went out to watch. She always watched when Gryffindor or Slytherin played. Today, Professor McGonagall came out and said the match was canceled. Layla looked shocked. Not another attack, she thought. McGonagall took her Harry and Ron to the hospital wing, and Layla saw that Hermione had been attacked.

"Oh no!"she said. "They will be able to cure her, won't they, Professor? Can she hear us?"

"I don't know, Ms.Dominguez. Now, we must go back to the common room."

"I'll stay with Hermione a little longer."

"I'm sorry, Ms.Dominguez, but that will not be possible. You must return to your common room."

"When can I come back and visit her?"

"I don't think that will be advisable."

Layla was quiet all the way back to the common room. Professor Snape told them that teachers had to accompany them everywhere, all evening activities were canceled, and they had to be in the common room by six o'clock. As soon as he left, the chatter broke out, as if nothing had happened. Usually, Layla would be reading, or working on her handiworks, or homework. Today, she just stared at her lap, hardly aware of what everyone was saying, when usually, she would be eavesdropping. Draco Malfoy was going on about how the school needed ridding of all that Mudblood filth, and how the teachers couldn't see that. Layla sighed and went to bed. They had to go to lessons escorted by a teacher, and Layla found this annoying. After all, everyone moved slower than snails in her opinion. She always got to class faster than anyone by going at her own pace. She didn't get a chance to talk to Harry or Ron, or visit Hermione. Classes kept on as usual. She learned that they had exams as usual, also.

"Shouldn't they put off exams? I mean, isn't there a slight chance that we might be attacked?"asked Blaise Zabini one night.

Layla didn't mind the exams much. They were a means of distraction, as now even her favorite books didn't do much to help her. On the night before exams, after Professor Snape said that there was going to be no more Hogwarts, they were suddenly woken up, informed that there was a feast. Everyone was in their pajamas, and the headmaster and Hagrid were back. Hermione and everyone else was also cured. Layla ran toward the Gryffindor table and hugged Hermione, saying how glad she was that she was all right. She would have liked to listen to how they defeated the monster. Draco Malfoy seemed upset that the monster had been stopped. But outside of him, everyone else was perfectly happy.


End file.
